Different languages
by Lucy-Cakes
Summary: A new non-Starfleet crew member comes on board, but soon comes to realise that life on board a star ship is just as dangerous as she'd heard. My first ever fanfic, I own nothing except the character Talya, and sorry if it's rubbish!
1. Chapter 1

Tally looked up as the door opened, even though it was pointless as her eyes were still covered, like they had been ever since she'd been taken. The sound had alerted her to the fact that someone was coming back, and she was sure it would be the last person she wanted to see. Heavy footsteps came towards her and someone grabbed hold of her long red hair and dragged her off the floor. She was getting used to it now, it almost didn't hurt anymore.

"Are you ready to tell me everything you know about the Enterprise?" a deep man's voice asked, so close to her ear that she could feel his breath. She was shaking with fear, she didn't want to say anything, but he shook her to remind her he was still waiting for an answer.

"I told you I don't know anything," she whispered. "Please believe me!"

He dropped her on the floor, hard. Gravel cut into her knees as she landed on them and with her hands tied behind her back she couldn't stop herself going face-first onto the floor. She turned her head so her nose wasn't smashed, but her left cheek got shredded. A foot rested firmly on her back, keeping her on her knees, face to the ground.

"You're going to regret that decision very soon," the man said from high above her. Talya Stokesley knew, deep down, that she wouldn't get out of this hell-hole alive unless a miracle happened.

X

Three days earlier, she had been at home on the Enterprise. She'd only recently been posted to the amazing, legendary ship, and it was only temporary. She wasn't even a Starfleet officer, but at just eighteen years old, she was studying for her masters degree in interpreting. The number of exo-linguists had declined substantially with the invention of universal translators. Sure they were good, but not as good as Talya, not as good as a real person. That wasn't vanity - that was fact. Machines were never infallible; they had no idea about how to translate something in a tactful way, to present it with care and concern and in an effective manner. The personal level was lost with a UT, but with Talya it was all there. It was for that reason (that, and sheer desperation on the part of Starfleet with their small stock of linguists spread so far and wide that there was literally no one else to send) that she had been assigned to the Enterprise to interpret some delicate negotiations. Growing up all over the galaxy had had its advantages in terms of language learning, and in linguistic terms she was over-qualified.

Still, she would never forget the slightly questioning look that Captain Picard had given her when she first reported to him. But she was used to that by now. People looked at her and put her age at about twenty-two, and even then thought she was too young for the job. She supposed that really, she was too young. But then the Captain had shaken her warmly by the hand, told her he was impressed with her file, and then asked her why she hadn't applied to Starfleet Academy.

"I don't believe Starfleet is for everyone," she'd replied truthfully. "It's not the kind of life I want to pursue at this time, and I'm still studying at the moment."

"What are you going to do with your life?"

"I've not got anything set in stone, but I'll probably work free-lance for a few years and take things from there."

Picard had looked at her. He wasn't lying when he'd said he was impressed with her file, and she certainly presented herself well in front of him considering she was just eighteen. But then Picard had got used to child protégés having had Wesley Crusher work on his bridge and with his most senior staff.

"Well, welcome to the Enterprise, Miss Stokesley," he'd said. "I've had the details of the conference sent to your cabin as you requested."

"Thank you, sir. I look forward to working with you."

Talya had settled in well on board, although she was quiet and kept to herself. She'd made good friends with Geordi LaForge, because although her main job was interpreting, she could also fix and upgrade any number of translation circuits in half the time he could, just because she'd done it so often.

She read up on the negotiations, on some of Picard's past missions, and on the two races that had fallen into dispute, and when it was time she went to the transporter room. Picard was there.

"Ah, Miss Stokesley," he said. "Are you ready?"

"I think so sir," she nodded. She didn't want to tell him that she was nervous – as she always was – and terrified of making mistakes.

"We're just waiting for Counsellor Troi to join us, her input is often invaluable."

He'd no sooner said it than the Counsellor walked in and they all stood on the transporter pad. In seconds, they were in a spacious foyer. A man came towards them and showed them to the conference room.

"I did mention that this could take some time, didn't I?" Picard muttered to Talya.

"I read up on some of your past missions sir," she said to him. "I've asked for coffee to be on standby."

Picard smiled to himself. He wasn't sure why, but he liked this girl. Perhaps it was the very fact that she wasn't Starfleet meant that she had something refreshing about her. Of course, she was still under his command, but she knew that and treated him as her Captain.

The delegates from each side came in and they all greeted each other in the customary manner, then sat down. Talya wasn't really sure where best to position herself. Normally there would be an interpreter for each party, but today there was just her. She settled next to Picard anyway, took out her pencil and some paper (which everyone stared at as though it was going to bite them, having grown used to padds being the standard replacement for such things these days), and they began.

X

Talya was screaming in agony. She couldn't see what was being done to her, all she knew was that it hurt! It felt like little electric shocks were cruising up and down her body, re-arranging her insides and weaving invisible threads around her organs that got tighter and tighter the more the shocks happened.

"Tell me about the conference," the man's voice said. "Tell me about the Enterprise…"

She remained silent, catching her breath, knowing more pain was going to come. Sure enough, her silence was met with an even more painful shock. Her knees gave way, but he'd tied her hands to something above her, so she remained upright but her wrists bore all her weight.

"I think I'll just leave you to think about what you're going to tell me," he said. She heard him cross the room. Finally! She could get some strength back! "Oh how silly of me," his voice said as he opened the door. The shocks started again. Talya cried in frustration, pain… The door closed, and she was alone, in endless agony.

X

The conference had lasted four days. Picard was relentless, refused to give up, and both Talya and Deanna could see why he was such a respected mediator. However, they were all exhausted. Picard called an end to the discussions, the contract between the two parties was signed, and the formal goodbyes took place.

The parties filed out, and Talya collapsed back into the chair that she'd sat in for eight hours straight. Papers of her scribblings littered the table, the floor. She put her head on the table and within seconds she was asleep.

"Talya?" Deanna's voice said. Tally opened her eyes and was immediately shocked that she'd fallen asleep.

"I'm sorry!" she said, sitting back up but still feeling exhausted.

"I think it's time to get back to the ship," Picard smiled. He was tired too, they all were. She nodded and they stood together to energise. They were met off the transporter by Commander Riker.

"How was it?" he asked.

"Finished, thank God," Picard answered.

"If I may say so, you all look like hell," Riker said wryly. He didn't even know Talya that well, but he knew she was on the point of falling asleep standing. They stepped off the pad.

"Well in all technicality I should de-brief you both," Picard said to Deanna and Talya. "But I think we'll leave that until we've all had some sleep." They smiled gratefully and went down the corridors. "Report to my ready-room in twelve hours." He looked back at Talya. "Actually, make that fourteen. I wish you both pleasant dreams."

They all split off to their quarters, and Talya stripped off and took a long, hot shower, trying to scrub the past four days from her mind at the same time. She got herself into bed, and spent the next hour tossing and turning. Not now! This was not the time to be having insomnia! Damn it, she was tired! Eventually, she got up and headed grumpily to sickbay. She'd only graced its doors once before, and that was for the routine physical she'd been required to have when she got on board.

"Can I help you?" Dr Crusher asked her kindly. "It's Miss Stokesley, isn't it?"

"Talya," Talya replied, surprised she could remember her name. "I can't sleep. And I'm so tired."

"Come and take a seat, we'll see what's causing it."

Talya sat on a bio-bed.

"Probably my use and abuse of caffeine over the past four days," she replied, taking care to articulate her words correctly. Her brain functioned in so many different languages these days that picking just one to use properly was very difficult, especially when she was so tired.

"How was the conference?"

"It was… amazing. I really enjoyed it, does that sound silly?"

"Of course not. It's always nice to put your skills to practical use."

"It was long though. There should have been a whole team of interpreters working on that, not just me. It was a bit intense. I've just got words floating around in my head."

Dr Crusher read her tricorder and nodded.

"Yes, you've gone past being able to drop off, haven't you… I've no problem giving you a mild sedative, but we'll have to do it in your quarters, otherwise you'll be spending the night here!"

They set off together and Tally settled in her own bed.

"How do you like the Enterprise?" the Doctor asked as she found a hypo.

"I like it a lot," she replied. "It was hard at first but it's a lovely place."

"We'll have to go for some food together one day, you can tell me all about it."

"Sure thing."

The Doctor put the hypo in her neck.

"Night Talya, sleep well."

"Night," she whispered before dropping off.

X

Riker shone his palm beacon around.

"There's one life sign behind that door," an ensign told him, reading a tricorder.

"What's the betting it doesn't just open for us," Riker replied. He went and tried it. It didn't move. He drew his phaser, stood back, and shot at the lock. He pushed the door open, phaser still drawn, wondering what he'd find in the room.

"Talya!"

He ran and knelt beside the girl. She was laid on her front, her hands tied behind her, black cloth covering her eyes. She was completely naked, dirty and covered in bruises. He released her hands, held his hand out for a blanket from one of his team.

"Go secure the area," he ordered, "and find whoever did this to her. Get Dr Crusher down here."

"Yes sir," one of them replied. Riker wrapped her in the blanket, rolled her over onto her back and pulled the cloth from her eyes.

"Talya, can you hear me?" he asked, shaking her shoulder slightly. She groaned. "Tally? Wake up!"

Her eyes opened slowly. She fought her way back to consciousness, then suddenly everything clicked in her head. She shot upright, confused. Riker caught her.

"You're ok, we've got you, you're gonna be ok now," he said, holding her in his arms. She started crying in pain as feeling seeped into her broken body. Her shoulder looked dislocated, she was finding it hard to breathe, she was clearly concussed… He lay her down, gently resting her head in his lap. Dr Crusher stormed through the door and over to them with her med-kit.

"Tally, can you hear me?" she asked her. Talya nodded slowly. "We're gonna take good care of you, don't you worry." The Doctor read what the tricorder was telling her and she knew it wasn't good. She found her a hypo and it took the edge off the pain. "We need to get her to sickbay," Dr Crusher said to Riker. She rearranged the blanket so her arms wouldn't fall out on the way. Riker picked her up as gently as he could. She still groaned as everything hurt, and he could feel she was shaking. They got out of the dark room and they walked back above ground. The call to be transported to sickbay was the last thing Talya heard.

X

Dr Crusher was giving orders by the dozen, giving Talya treatment upon treatment to stabilise her. Riker had stood back to let the medics do their work, but he couldn't leave. Picard and Deanna came into sickbay too.

"How is she?" Picard asked him, knowing that asking the Doctor would result in a reprimand for disturbing her while she was working. Riker cast around for the right words.

"She's… she's got a lot of injuries."

"Has she said anything?" Deanna asked.

"She was only conscious for a few minutes, she didn't say anything. She was scared and confused, I don't think she really knew what was happening."

Finally, Picard noticed Dr Crusher allow herself to exhale, and he knew she'd done it again and got another patient out of danger. She went over to them.

"She's stable now, I think she'll be all right," she told them. "I'll have the medical report on your desk by morning," she added to Picard.

"When will she be back on her feet?" Deanna asked.

"Not for a few days. She was tortured with some kind of electrical pulse that delivered extreme amounts of pain to her whole body, she's lucky she survived. Whatever they wanted to know, she put up a good fight."

"When will she wake?" Picard asked her. "We need to know exactly what they wanted."

"I don't know. I don't want to wake her yet, she's too weak. She needs at least twelve hours before we attempt anything. Did you find whoever did this to her?"

"Mr Worf has someone in custody now, they picked him up a few minutes ago. Will we be able to prove who it was?"

Dr Crusher nodded sadly.

"Oh we'll know alright. He left strong DNA evidence, I'm sending it all to the lab."

"You don't mean…"

"I'm afraid I do. Clear your schedule Deanna, this is going to take some time to sort out."


	2. Chapter 2

**Second part :) Please review, this is my first attempt at fanfic that goes on public display! Hope to upload the end soon. As usual, I own nothing, Gene Roddenberry created much better characters than I could ever hope to!**

Talya was floating, not sleeping. She could hear what was going on, but everything seemed far away. She wasn't sure if she had her eyes open or closed because she could sort of see things, but sort of couldn't. She didn't care, she was tired, she'd work this out later…

Suddenly, she sat bolt-upright. Oh God, was she still there? Still in that hell-hole? Was he going to come back?

"Talya! You're all right!"

She snapped her head round and saw Dr Crusher at the foot of her bed, people in blue Starfleet uniforms all around her, and she knew she most certainly wasn't still in 'that hell-hole'.

"Doctor?" she asked. Dr Crusher came closer to her and she nodded.

"I'm right here Talya. How about you lie back and relax."

Talya let herself be pushed back down onto the bed and scans be taken.

"Does anywhere hurt?"

Talya hadn't really thought about it, but as soon as she did she realised that her body ached all over, but otherwise she felt just about intact.

"I think I'm ok," she replied.

"Actually, you're far from it, but you're getting there."

"When did you find me? I don't remember anything…"

"We found you three days ago. You've been very sick, but you have come round a few times."

"I really don't remember…"

She went pale, and she did remember. She remembered everything that had happened since she was taken, the worst memories coming as quickly as the less-bad ones.

"Talya, do you want to tell me what happened?"

She shook her head.

"Ok. Well whenever you're ready."

She stared at the ceiling and tried not to remember. She must have dropped off again as the next thing she knew she was being held close to someone and rocked gently. She realised she was sobbing.

"Shhh, Tally, shhh."

She looked up and saw it was Dr Crusher holding her.

"You had a bad dream," she said to her gently. "I've asked Counsellor Troi to come down, all right."

She didn't have a choice, but she lay back again and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said in the end.

"Why would you be sorry Tally?"

"I don't mean to be so much bother…"

"Talya, there's nothing to be sorry about. Nothing. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, but deep down she felt pathetic.

"Sweetie, you're allowed to feel this way. It's very understandable."

Just then the door opened, and Deanna came over to her.

"Hello Talya," she said kindly. "How about we have a chat."

X

Talya told her everything. About how, after the conference, she'd slept for a good long time, been debriefed, then realised that she had to go back to the surface to pick up all of her notes and recordings. None of it could get out to the public. She had no idea what she'd written but if it was sensitive, she'd be in trouble. So she went back down to the planet to retrieve whatever had been left. The aide that had shown them into the room on the very first day showed her where they'd put everything that had been in the room.

"We thought we'd better not just throw it away, Captain Picard said someone would come and take everything before the Enterprise left."

"Thank you, that's perfect. I'll take it all back up to the ship," she replied, sifting through the box a little to see if everything was there that she expected to be there. The aide nodded and held the door for her as she carried the box out.

Suddenly, there had been a bright light. Phaser fire. Talya dropped the box and drew her own phaser, but it was too late. She hadn't got down quick enough. A blast caught her square in the chest and she fell unconscious.

When she'd woken, she'd found herself blindfolded and her wrists tied. She'd panicked, of course, unsure of what to do, and then she realised there was nothing to do but wait. She couldn't move, she couldn't see… Half of her wanted to call out and see if anyone else was around, but half of her was terrified that someone _would_ be around. She didn't have to wait long, as soon enough she could hear footsteps, a door opening with a loud and heavy creak, and the footsteps coming closer. Her breathing became rapid as fear gripped her. Whoever was in the room with her grabbed her by her hair and hauled her to her feet. She groaned with the pain as she was bent backwards by him. She assumed it was a man, the person felt much stronger than she was, and much taller.

"Listen to me," he said in her ear, "you're going to tell me everything you know about the Enterprise. Information on her is worth a lot in this sector, so you're going to tell me all the passwords and access codes that you know. Then you're going to tell me everything that happened in the conference."

"I… I know nothing about any codes," she replied, fairly truthfully. She only had a handful, and they were nothing special, they just allowed access to the terminals and library data that she needed to do her work.

He hit her, hard, her head snapping to one side as she recoiled from the hit across her cheek.

"Don't play games! You will tell me everything, or I will make your life hell. For as long as you have a life anyway," he added menacingly. Talya wished she could see, to stare him in the face so she could convey with her own eyes the fact that she wasn't lying.

"Please… I don't know who you are, but it's not too late to just let me go!"

He laughed a horrible laugh, dropped her on the floor and kicked her. She doubled over, her side aching.

"You will tell me," he said. "Let's see how you like being left alone for a few days."

"Can I have some water?" she gasped.

Her question was met with another kick and she remained silent as he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

X

"I don't know how long he left me alone," Talya explained to Deanna and Beverly. "But I couldn't do anything, I tried so hard to get out… I was begging for water, all the time, and no one came. I had no strength, all I did was lie on the floor. Why couldn't I do anything?"

"Tally, there was nothing you could do," Deanna said kindly. "There wasn't. Not only were you restrained, but there was nowhere for you to go, you were deep underground, and you'd not had anything to eat or drink."

"I just feel like I should have been able to," she replied. "I know it doesn't make sense."

She brushed some tears from her face impatiently.

"And then I thought I was never going to see anybody ever again, when he came back. And that's when he started hitting me, trying to get me to tell him things. But I had nothing to say. Eventually he started with the shocks. They hurt so much, they didn't stop."

"Tally, did you tell him anything? It's ok if you did, we just need to know," Deanna said gently. Talya shook her head.

"I had nothing to tell him. I didn't give him anything, and… I paid for it."

"You were incredibly brave," Dr Crusher said to her. She'd seen the state of her after she'd been found, she could only imagine the pain the torture had ripped through her body.

"Is there anything else you want to tell us?" Deanna asked. Talya shook her head, but she paled even further, guessing that they both knew what had happened.

"I'm tired," she said.

"I know. But Tally, did he hurt you? In… other ways?"

Very slowly, Talya gave a small, barely discernable nod.

Dr Crusher took her hand in hers. Talya held it fast, then a great sob pulsed through her chest and out of her mouth. She wasn't sure where it had come from, but then another came from the same, deep cavity, followed by another and another. Her eyes darted round the room, she wasn't sure what to do. The Doctor took her in her arms again, but one thing was clear to both her and Deanna. Talya needed her family.

X

Jenni Stokesley was sure something wasn't quite right. She didn't know what, but she'd been feeling a little off for a few days. She'd thought she was getting ill, but then she'd got a bit better. She shook her head, she didn't have time to be ill. She was far too busy filling in forms and trying to get organised for her latest venture. She was less than a month away from taking charge of a children's home, and there was lots to sort out. It seemed incredible that even in this day and age, some children still needed to be given a safe place to live because they had no family, or their family couldn't look after them. Jenni had done lots of things in her life, but she felt particularly called to this kind of work now. She wished there had been someone to look after her and her two sisters when their parents had died, but they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they managed to slip through the net.

A message came up on her computer. She had a priority message coming in from Starfleet. Immediately, her stomach flipped over. Talya was never a priority message…

"Captain Picard," she said on seeing the Captain on her screen.

"How are you Jenni?" he asked.

"I'm well thank you sir. Can I help you?"

"I'm afraid I've got some… news," he replied. He outlined briefly what had happened over the past few days, and Jenni's stomach dropped.

"Of course, I'll be there as soon as I can," she said.

"I've arranged you transport, you should be with us tomorrow. I'm sending you the details."

"Thank you," she replied. "Until tomorrow."

The screen clicked off and she went into auto-pilot, packing a bag, calling her other sister Aurora to let her know what was going on. Jenni was the oldest of the three sisters, Aurora the middle one, but she was a rather influential character on the planet Pevon where she'd settled. In fact she was head of the government, so she could hardly just take off whenever she wanted.

"Please, look after her," Aurora asked her sister.

"I'll try Aurry," Jenni replied.

"Will you bring her home?"

"I don't know. I've not had time to think. I'll call you again when I get there, ok?"

"Please do. Give my best to the Captain, he was very good to my planet."

"You sound more like a politician every day, you should watch that. Ok, bye Aurry."

"Bye Jen."

Jenni picked up the hurriedly packed bag and set off for her beam-up point. She was hitching a ride with another starship that would be passing by the Enterprise, she couldn't miss it. She wished she could have gone with her sister to the Enterprise, to keep her out of danger… but then what could she have done? Exactly the same would have happened, there was nothing she could have done. And that was exactly what Jenni hated. The helplessness. Like she was in a foreign place where the spoke a different language. Not being able to do anything would forever be the hardest thing for her to cope with.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the last part, sorry I've run out of steam on this! I might come back to it soon. Please review :) **

Talya woke up to find she was being held again, but this time it was all much more familiar. She looked up to see whose arms she was in this time, and she was surprised by who she saw.

"Jenni?" she asked, not quite sure if she was still dreaming.

"I'm here darling," her sister's perfect English accent replied.

"What… how did you get here?"

"You needed me, so I came. It's going to be all right."

Jenni looked over at Dr Crusher, who nodded at her. It had been the right decision to get her to join them on the Enterprise. Sometimes, people just needed their family. Jenni lay her sister back down and dabbed the tears from her eyes.

"Tally," she said, "I'd like you to think about coming home with me."

Talya nodded. Jenni was stunned, it would normally be the last thing her sister would do, but Talya needed space. That much was obvious.

"I want to go stay with Aurora," she whispered.

"I think that's a very good idea," Jenni replied.

"But only for a holiday," Talya added. "Then I'm going to come back fighting."

X

Talya spent three months with Aurora, living in her palace-like home and after a few weeks, she felt able to work again. She did charity work on the planet, because although Aurora was making life much better, there was still a lot of work to be done in some areas and Talya's grasp of so many languages was invaluable. Gradually, she started to feel the deep sadness that had held her lift off her. She was seeing a counsellor, and the news that they were bringing someone to trial over her kidnap and torture helped enormously. But she still longed to go back to the Enterprise too.

She went to see Jenni too, and she spent a few days helping her with her new children's home which was full of life. Even though it could be an incredibly sad place sometimes, with so many children from broken backgrounds, Jenni's no-nonsense attitude and caring nature made the tears turn to laughter again. She was so content with her new job, although she treated it much more like her new life.

Talya went back to the Enterprise, sad to say goodbye to her family again, but it was what they were used to, and she knew they were always there when she needed them. Commander Riker met her in the transporter room.

"So, what have you been getting up to?" he asked. "I know you won't have taken it easy or anything."

"Oh no Commander… I was busy."

"Learning even more ways to conjugate verbs?" he joked, knowing that she loved nothing more than picking up a grammar book.

"No," she replied. "Just… learning different languages."

"Any in particular?"

Talya thought for a moment. She'd learnt so much, and so many. The language of her mind, the language of her body, the language of despair, the language of hurting, healing, recovery…

"Let's just say, I learnt to listen to different languages, rather than speak them fluently."

He looked at her and smiled.

"It's good to have you back," he said.

"It's good to be back, I think," she answered.

"It might not be so good when you see the pile of translations that the Captain put on your desk as a welcome home present."

Talya smiled.

"You do make me laugh," she said to him. He followed her out of the transporter room.

"You think I'm kidding?"

"I know you are. I also speak the language of humour."

Riker looked at her and thought that she really hadn't mastered the language of Picard…


End file.
